St. Expeditus: Patron Saint of Speedy Causes

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St. Expeditus:  Patron Saint of Speedy Causes The venerated image of St. Expeditus in  the Lipa Cathedral In the Metropolitan Cathedral of St. Sebastian in Lipa City is a venerated image of a young Roman Centurion saint named Expeditus. Every month of April, a nine day novena in his honor is held in the cathedral that culminates in the celebration of his feast day on the 19th of the month. Who is this saint whose intercession was also invoked in the Oratio Imperata  to avert a catastrophic eruption of Taal Volcano prepared by the Archdiocese of Lipa when the volcano exhibited extra-ordinary activity early  in January, 2020?  St. Expeditus could have found affinity with the Lipenos since the martyr shares a lot of commonality with St. Sebastian, the city’s patron. St. Expeditus, like St. Sebastian was also a young Roman soldier who converted to Christianity and was also martyred as a consequence, during the period of Diocletian persecution.  Hence, a devo...
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Homilies and Reflections: July 12, 2020. 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle A) - Filipino

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Hulyo 12, 2020. Ika-15 Linggo sa Karaniwang Panahon

Pagninilay sa Mabuting Balita ayon kay San Mateo 13: 1-23

Marahil sa unang tingin, sasabihin natin na tila ang magsasaka sa kwento ni Hesus ay hindi bihasa sa pagtatanim. Sapagkat kung siya ay bihasa, hindi sana siya maghahasik ng binhi sa tabing kalsada, sa batuhan, sa dawagan. Doon lamang siya dapat magtatanim sa matabang lupa. Imposible talagang tumubo, lumago at magbunga ang binhi maliban doon sa matabang lupa. Marahil sasabihin natin, palibhasa mga mangingisda ang karamihan sa mga alagad ni Hesus, hindi siya pamilyar sa pagtatanin.

Ngunit ang magsasaka ay hindi ordinaryong magsasaka ganoon din ang binhing itinatanim Niya. Ang magsasaka ay ang Diyos na nagbabakasakali. Nagbabakasakali na ang binhi (ang Kanyang Salita) ay mabubuhay at mag-uugat sa kahit na anong uri ng lupa (mga nakarinig ng Salita). Sapagkat ang kanyang Salita ay buhay at makapangyarihan. Tumatagos sa kaibuturan ng nakakarinig. Hindi ba’t nalikha ang daigdig dahil sa kapangyarihan ng Kanyang salita, at iniligtas din ang daigdig dahil sa kanyang Salitang nagkatawang tao. 

Hindi ba napakaganda ng larawan ng isang Diyos na nagbabakasakali sa atin? Bagama’t mukhang imposible, may “baka naman” pa rin laging kasama. “Baka makikinig…” “Baka magbabago…” Patuloy pa rin maghahasik. Ganyan ang Panginoon kung magmahal, pnatay-pantay. Ngunit ang pag-ibig na kanyang ibinibigay, kailangan ng tugon. Sapagkat ang lahat ay ibinibigay niya sa atin bilang imbitasyon – nasa sa atin pa rin kung tayo ay tutugon. Kung hahayaan natin ang binhi ay mag-ugat, lumago at mamunga sa atin. 

Napakakapangyarihan ng Salita ng Diyos. Kaya nitong gawing matabang lupa ang batuhan at ang dawagan ng ating mga puso. Hayaan mong baguhin ka at patuloy na papanibaguhin ng Salita ng Diyos.

Mahalaga ang paalaala ni Hesus sa huli ng mabuting balita, Makinig ang mga nakaririnig! Sapagkat sa pamamagitan lamang ng pakikinig natin naibubukas ang ating sarili, ang ating puso sa Diyos at sa kapwa. Hindi ba’t ang pakikinig nga ang simula ng pag-ibig. At ang Diyos na maghahasik ay Diyos ng pag-ibig. Pakinggan natin Siya. Amen.

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